A more inclusive Victoria

A more inclusive Victoria

One in five Victorians has a disability. But for too long services have been inadequate, our transport system prohibitive and our cities built to exclude.

The Greens will always fight for the rights of people living with a disability, and will fight to make sure we all have the support we need and our state is accessible for all of us.

All of us have the right to live a happy and healthy life, and exercise independence, self-determination and choice in our lives. Disability services policy is not just a matter of individual health and well-being – it is a fundamental human rights issue about everyone’s ability to participate fully in all aspects of society.

More than 1.1 million Victorians are living with disability. While Victoria has made steps towards creating a more inclusive and accessible society, there is still so much more we need to do.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme will make a huge difference in the support available for people with disability. However, not every Victorian who lives with a disability will be eligible for the NDIS. While the NDIS will become the dominant service provider for people with a disability, there will still be many Victorians who need to access disability support services outside of the NDIS, such as mental health support or in-home care.

As the NDIS rolls out across Victoria, the state government has been redirecting the majority of its disability funding to the NDIS, and closing or reducing the services it has provided. This means that Victorians who use these services but do not qualify for the NDIS will need to rely on underfunded services and may be at risk of losing access altogether.

To create a more inclusive society, we also need to create broader social and structural change across our system. Our vision is of a Victoria where everyone is able to participate fully in all aspects of life. This includes ensuring that people of all ages and abilities can use public transport, access their local shops, cafes and restaurants, and find an affordable and accessible home.

The Greens will:

Provide $100m in funding to help fund the gaps in the rollout of the NDIS, including in advocacy, as well as an additional $200m for community mental health services.

Improve the accessibility of our public transport system by upgrading all tram routes to make every stop a level access stop, and manufacturing 300 new accessible, high capacity trams.

Make Victoria accessible by requiring all new urban development to comply with universal design principles.

We will work closely with Victorians with a disability and advocacy bodies to create a state that is inclusive and accessible to all.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this country as the first inhabitants, and the custodians of the lands where we live and work. We pay tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and give respect to Elders past, present and emerging.